396:. Upon "Abune" Abraham's death the Italian authorities replaced him with "Abune" Yohannes as archbishop. Neither the Patriarch in Egypt, nor the Emperor living in exile in Britain recognized these Archbishops appointed by the Italians. However, the exiled Imperial court also regarded the exiled "Abune" Kerrilos as having first collaborated with the enemy and then abandoned his flock. At the eve of Emperor Haile Selassie's return to Ethiopia, the Coptic ecclesiastical authorities suggested that the current
750:
473:
Basilios was one of the few people who although very respectful of the
Emperor, was not so in awe of him as to keep his true views or feelings from the Emperor. Known to always be forthright and open with the monarch, he never hesitated from telling the Emperor the truth or his own views even if he
513:
in Addis Ababa and promised that the soldiers, who had long complained of poor pay, would receive a significant raise when the
Emperor returned. Upon his return, Emperor Haile Selassie was told of the Patriarch's promise to the soldiers, but stated such a raise could not be honored at the time
505:
Basilios refused to recognize this act and proclaimed that the
Imperial Guard had no authority to depose an Emperor who had been anointed by the Church, and pronounced an anathema against those who took part or supported the coup. His statement was printed and scattered over Addis Ababa by Army
466:
and regarded as a modernist and a reformer. Patriarch Abune
Basilios regarded all innovation with deep suspicion. Abune Basilios was a deeply pious man, greatly focused on prayer and fasting, and as such left more and more of his duties to Abuna Theophilos who acted as his deputy, and later as
411:
Following the liberation of
Ethiopia in 1941, due to the Emperor's refusal to receive or recognize "Abune" Yohannes as archbishop of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, and the refusal of the clergy at large to countenance the return of "Abune" Kerrilos, "Ichege" Gebre Giyorgis acted as the chief
302:
where he received advanced religious education. He took the Holy Orders and became a monk at the age of 21. For the next 12 years he served in the same monastery. He went on to be appointed administrator of various churches in
Ethiopia, most notably the Church of St. Mary at
518:
Basilios made good on previous threats and secluded himself at Debre
Libanos Monastery in protest. The Emperor went personally to Debre Libanos and persuaded the Patriarch to return to Addis Ababa, and granted a smaller raise to the soldiers to appease the Patriarch.
58:
434:
Kerrillos, "Abune" Basilios became the head of the Church of
Ethiopia, with the full authority to nominate bishops and archbishops. During a solemn ceremony in 1959, in the presence of the Emperor, he was consecrated the first
474:
knew they might not please the
Emperor. When the Patriarch believed that actions of the government or the Emperor himself were contrary to what he thought to be right, he would threaten to seclude himself at the monastery of
552:, attended by the Emperor, the entire Imperial family, members of the Imperial Court and the government of Ethiopia, as well as the diplomatic corps and representatives of various other Churches, Abuna Basilios was buried at
497:) would serve as a constitutional monarch, and that reforms would be implemented. The Imperial Army however came out in opposition to the coup as did the Imperial Air Force. The coup leaders, Brigadier General
387:
had initially submitted to
Italian rule. Later, the Archbishop returned to Egypt and denounced the Italian occupation, and the Italians then un-canonically appointed the Ethiopian born Bishop of Gojjam, "Abune"
404:
selected instead. As Margary Perham notes, "The photographs of that dramatic moment when the Emperor stepped across the frontier in the wild region of the Upper Dinder and unfurled his flag, show the
534:
Theophilos, and spent more time resting and praying at the monastery, rarely making an appearance at the Patriarchate in Addis Ababa or at the Imperial Court. He was too frail to participate in the
298:
Wolde Tsadik Solomon, his father, was a respected ecclesiastical official. In his home town Gebre Giyorgis received an elementary education at the local church then entered the Monastery of
530:
Basilios began to spend an increasing amount of time at the Debre Libanos monastery after his health began to fail in the early 1960s. He left more and more of his duties to
784:
493:
against the Emperor while he was on a state visit to Brazil. The Imperial Guard announced that the Emperor and his government were deposed, that Crown Prince Asfaw Wossen (
672:
789:
779:
412:
administering cleric of the Ethiopian Church while negotiations were undertaken to regularize the status of the church with the Coptic Patriarchate.
490:
665:
549:
330:
234:
383:, or resistance fighters inside Ethiopia. During the Italian occupation, the Coptic Archbishop of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, "Abune"
323:
of the Debre Libanos Monastery in 1933. (At the time this was the highest rank open to an Ethiopian within the church, for the office of
685:
632:
443:
393:
271:
68:
49:
545:
Patriarch "Abune" Basilios, the first Patriarch and Catholicos of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church, died on 13 October 1970.
392:
as the new archbishop of the Ethiopian Orthodox church in 1937, and allowed him to anoint new bishops without the sanction of the
458:
Abune Basilios was regarded as a conservative and traditionalist figure within the church, in contrast to his eventual successor
794:
658:
509:
In order to make sure that no Imperial Army units deserted to the other side, the Patriarch had toured the barracks of the
419:
349:
155:
506:
helicopters. The Army and Air Force used this proclamation to rally support for the Emperor and the coup was crushed.
447:
681:
628:
569:
478:, a threat that the Emperor took seriously and which often changed the Emperor's mind. The Patriarch served on the
334:
267:
41:
535:
479:
201:
426:
Basilios July 1948 during a ceremony held at the Patriarchate of Saint Mark in Egypt. In 1951, on the death in
317:
Abba Gebre Giyorgis remained in Jerusalem for two years, where he gained the theological knowledge to become
510:
650:
774:
769:
712:
364:
and participated in the decision of the Emperor to go into exile and present Ethiopia's case to the
372:
342:
615:
283:
184:
400:, Kerrilos accompany the Emperor on his entrance into Ethiopia; the offer was declined and the
304:
384:
365:
353:
103:
704:
642:
459:
192:
118:
720:
514:
because there simply wasn't enough money in government coffers to do so. Angry at this,
498:
345:
131:
501:
and his brother Girmame Neway sent emissaries to explain their acts to the Patriarch.
408:, a fine figure of a man in his flowing black ceremonial robes, standing beside him."
763:
736:
553:
494:
486:
475:
389:
299:
205:
98:
94:
728:
588:
Unless otherwise indicated, material for this article was taken from Yolande Mara,
307:. In early 1923 he was nominated Head of the Ethiopian Churches and Monasteries in
25:
379:
Gebre Giyorgis lived in exile in Jerusalem, where he remained in touch with the
361:
238:
467:
acting Patriarch when Abune Basilios' health began to deteriorate after 1963.
439:
259:
44:
749:
436:
380:
308:
287:
197:
57:
482:, and was considered among the most influential of the Emperor's advisors.
209:
107:
319:
16:
Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church from 1959 to 1970
463:
427:
325:
291:
263:
188:
29:
282:
Patriarch Abune Basilios was born Gebre Giyorgis Wolde Tsadik in
654:
258:(23 April 1891 – 13 October 1970) was an Ethiopian-born first
590:
The Church of Ethiopia – The National Church in the Making
605:, second edition (London: Faber and Faber, 1969), p. 126
542:
Theophilos to represent him in most of its sessions.
422:
as Archbishop of Ethiopia with the name and style of
245:
230:
218:
166:
161:
150:
142:
137:
124:
114:
90:
82:
74:
64:
23:
666:
8:
592:(Asmara: IL POLIGRAFICO, 1972), pp. 113-115.
536:Conference of the Oriental Orthodox Churches
329:, or archbishop, was always a cleric of the
538:held in Addis Ababa in 1965, and deputized
785:20th-century Oriental Orthodox archbishops
673:
659:
651:
611:
356:; following the defeat in that battle the
56:
20:
581:
790:20th-century Oriental Orthodox bishops
780:Ethiopian Oriental Orthodox Christians
418:Gebre Giyorgis was consecrated by the
560:Theophilos as Patriarch of Ethiopia.
550:Holy Trinity Cathedral in Addis Ababa
7:
686:Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church
633:Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church
450:at St. Mark's Cathedral in Cairo.
444:Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church
272:Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church
69:Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church
14:
394:Coptic Patriarchate of Alexandria
748:
360:accompanied the Emperor back to
286:, a village in the district of
81:
73:
1:
548:Following a state funeral at
485:In 1960, the Imperial Guard (
130:Blessed Echege of the See of
311:with the title of "Memhir".
462:who was then Archbishop of
341:Gebre Giyorgis accompanied
171:Gebre-Giorghis Wolde-Tsadiq
811:
603:The Government of Ethiopia
570:List of abunas of Ethiopia
746:
692:
639:
626:
621:
614:
97:(Before autocephaly from
55:
40:
616:Oriental Orthodox titles
556:. He was succeeded by
554:Debre Libanos Monastery
448:Coptic Pope Kirillos VI
128:Archbishop of Ethiopia
795:Patriarchs of Ethiopia
266:, and later the first
235:Holy Trinity Cathedral
420:Coptic Pope Yussab II
156:Coptic Pope Yousab II
454:Reign as Patriarch
373:Italian occupation
106:(as Archbishop of
757:
756:
649:
648:
640:Succeeded by
366:League of Nations
354:Battle of Maychew
253:
252:
146:1914 (Priesthood)
104:Abuna Qerellos IV
802:
752:
741:
733:
725:
717:
709:
701:
675:
668:
661:
652:
643:Abuna Theophilos
612:
606:
599:
593:
586:
460:Abuna Theophilos
350:Ethiopian troops
335:Italian invasion
225:
213:
193:Ethiopian Empire
180:
178:
162:Personal details
154:25 July 1948 by
119:Abuna Theophilos
60:
21:
810:
809:
805:
804:
803:
801:
800:
799:
760:
759:
758:
753:
744:
739:
731:
723:
715:
707:
699:
688:
679:
645:
636:
610:
609:
600:
596:
587:
583:
578:
566:
525:
456:
280:
223:
222:13 October 1970
214:
195:
182:
176:
174:
173:
172:
129:
102:
86:12 October 1970
48:
36:
33:
32:
28:
17:
12:
11:
5:
808:
806:
798:
797:
792:
787:
782:
777:
772:
762:
761:
755:
754:
747:
745:
743:
742:
740:(2013–present)
734:
726:
718:
713:Takla Haymanot
710:
702:
693:
690:
689:
680:
678:
677:
670:
663:
655:
647:
646:
641:
638:
625:
619:
618:
608:
607:
594:
580:
579:
577:
574:
573:
572:
565:
562:
524:
521:
499:Mengistu Neway
455:
452:
346:Haile Selassie
333:). During the
279:
276:
256:Abuna Basilios
251:
250:
247:
243:
242:
232:
228:
227:
226:(aged 79)
220:
216:
215:
189:Shewa Province
183:
170:
168:
164:
163:
159:
158:
152:
148:
147:
144:
140:
139:
135:
134:
132:Takla Haymanot
126:
122:
121:
116:
112:
111:
92:
88:
87:
84:
80:
79:
76:
72:
71:
66:
62:
61:
53:
52:
38:
37:
34:
24:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
807:
796:
793:
791:
788:
786:
783:
781:
778:
776:
773:
771:
768:
767:
765:
751:
738:
735:
730:
727:
722:
719:
714:
711:
706:
703:
698:
695:
694:
691:
687:
683:
676:
671:
669:
664:
662:
657:
656:
653:
644:
635:
634:
630:
624:
620:
617:
613:
604:
598:
595:
591:
585:
582:
575:
571:
568:
567:
563:
561:
559:
555:
551:
546:
543:
541:
537:
533:
529:
522:
520:
517:
512:
507:
504:
500:
496:
495:Amha Selassie
492:
489:) launched a
488:
487:Kebur Zabagna
483:
481:
480:Crown Council
477:
476:Debre Libanos
472:
468:
465:
461:
453:
451:
449:
445:
441:
438:
433:
429:
425:
421:
417:
413:
409:
407:
403:
399:
395:
391:
386:
382:
378:
374:
369:
367:
363:
359:
355:
351:
347:
344:
340:
336:
332:
331:Coptic Church
328:
327:
322:
321:
316:
312:
310:
306:
301:
300:Debre Libanos
297:
293:
289:
285:
277:
275:
273:
269:
265:
261:
257:
248:
244:
240:
236:
233:
229:
221:
217:
211:
207:
206:Amhara Region
203:
199:
194:
190:
186:
181:23 April 1891
169:
165:
160:
157:
153:
149:
145:
141:
136:
133:
127:
125:Other post(s)
123:
120:
117:
113:
109:
105:
100:
99:Coptic Church
96:
95:Pope Cyril VI
93:
89:
85:
77:
70:
67:
63:
59:
54:
51:
46:
43:
39:
31:
27:
22:
19:
696:
627:
622:
602:
597:
589:
584:
557:
547:
544:
539:
531:
527:
526:
515:
511:4th Division
508:
502:
491:coup attempt
484:
470:
469:
457:
431:
423:
415:
414:
410:
405:
401:
397:
376:
370:
357:
338:
324:
318:
314:
313:
295:
281:
255:
254:
224:(1970-10-13)
151:Consecration
78:28 June 1959
26:His Holiness
18:
775:1970 deaths
770:1891 births
732:(1992–2012)
724:(1988–2022)
523:Final years
371:During the
362:Addis Ababa
284:Mada Mikael
246:Nationality
239:Addis Ababa
202:North Shewa
185:Mada Mikael
91:Predecessor
764:Categories
705:Theophilos
682:Patriarchs
637:1959–1970
576:References
440:Catholicos
260:Archbishop
241:, Ethiopia
177:1891-04-23
143:Ordination
83:Term ended
45:Catholicos
721:Merkorios
716:(1976–88)
708:(1971–76)
700:(1959–70)
629:Patriarch
623:New title
437:Patriarch
381:Arbegnoch
309:Jerusalem
305:Menagesha
288:Merhabete
270:, of the
268:Patriarch
249:Ethiopian
198:Merhabete
115:Successor
75:Installed
42:Patriarch
697:Basilios
601:Perham,
564:See also
385:Kerrilos
348:and the
210:Ethiopia
108:Ethiopia
50:Ethiopia
35:Basilios
737:Mathias
684:of the
631:of the
446:by the
442:of the
390:Abraham
352:to the
343:Emperor
47:of the
729:Paulos
416:Ichege
406:Ichegé
402:Ichege
377:Ichege
358:Ichege
339:Ichege
320:Ichege
315:Memhir
296:Memhir
231:Buried
138:Orders
65:Church
558:Abuna
540:Abuna
532:Abuna
528:Abuna
516:Abuna
503:Abuna
471:Abuna
464:Harar
432:Abuna
428:Cairo
424:Abuna
398:Abuna
326:Abuna
292:Shewa
264:Abuna
196:(now
30:Abune
278:Life
219:Died
167:Born
430:of
290:in
262:or
766::
375:,
368:.
337:,
294:.
274:.
237:,
208:,
204:,
200:,
191:,
187:,
101:)
674:e
667:t
660:v
212:)
179:)
175:(
110:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
